Overview On Kheda Satyagraha (1918)

The Kheda Satyagraha is another name for the Satyagraha movement. It is also known as the Kheda movement. The Kheda Satyagraha movement was held in the district of Gujarat named Kheda. Mahatma Gandhi organised the Kheda Satyagraha. It is one of the revolutionary methods of freedom fighters. After Champaran, the Kheda Satyagraha was the second Satyagraha movement. The main aim of this movement is to support the peasants. Gandhi Ji wants to stop all the atrocities done by Britishers on peasants, like charging high taxes. Kheda Satyagraha marked an insightful effect on the freedom of India. 

Kheda Satyagraha

The Kheda movement was regulated by Mahatma Gandhi for the peasant-Patidar community of Kheda. The peasant-Patidar community of Kheda had refused to pay the high tax, i.e., 23% tax, even after ruining the whole crop due to the plague and cholera. Mahatma Gandhi inspired the peasants of Kheda not to pay the revenue and started demanding remission. After this movement, the British government had accepted the demand and charged tax only to those peasants capable of paying. 

Kheda Satyagraha date

Let’s discuss the Kheda Satyagraha date. 

The Kheda Satyagraha was started on 22 March 1918 and ended on 5 June 1918. Along with Gandhi Ji, various social reformers, activists, freedom fighters participate in this movement to fulfil the peasants’ demand for Kheda. 

Kheda Satyagraha leaders

Various leaders play a major role in the Kheda movement. The main leader of the whole movement is Mahatma Gandhi. Along with this, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel played the role of the main follower of Mahatma Gandhi during this movement. Various lawyers from different corners of the world take part in this movement. These are:

• Shankarlal Banker
• Narhari Parikh 
• Mahadev Desai
• Indulal Yagnik
• Narhari Parikh
• Ravi Shankar Vyas 
• Mohanlal Pandya

All these lawyers visit the whole district for awarding its citizens. These lawyers provide political leadership among the citizens of the Kheda district and show them the direction to achieve their aim of not paying high taxes. Several inspired citizens had joined the Kheda movement, especially from Vadodara and Ahmedabad. Although, citizens of other states did not participate in this movement because Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had prohibited the entry of reformers from other states. This is because they want to make this movement entirely the struggle of Gujaratis. 

Features of Kheda Satyagraha

Let’s understand the features of Kheda Satyagraha. 

• The Kheda Satyagraha is organised because the crops of the Kheda districts failed due to the plague and cholera. 
• The British government has implemented the 23% tax. But the farmers of Kheda demand a remission if the crop is one-fourth lower than the normal production. They demanded this remission under the Revenue Code of one-fourth tax. 
• The Gujarat sabha, of which peasants are also the partners, have requested the British government to suspend the revenue assessment of 1919.
• The British government has warned the peasants that if they did not pay the 23% tax, their lands would get seized, and they would be no longer capable of producing crops.
• Gandhi Ji, the father of the nation, has requested the citizens of the Kheda district not to pay the unnecessary tax. 
• Gandhiji and his lawyers themselves, aware of the citizens of the Kheda district, provide various suggestions to them. They also provide political leadership to the normal citizens of Kheda for the upliftment of Kheda Satyagraha. 
• Individuals of all castes support this tax revolt movement. 
• The Kheda Satyagraha is a great symbol of unity and discipline.
• The British government seized the property of various peasants; even after that, they did not leave the support of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. They continuously support this movement until their demands get fulfilled. 

Results of Kheda Satyagraha 

After continuous efforts for several months, Mahatma Gandhi and his supporters, including peasants, were successful. The British government had accepted this agreement and unseized the lands of all peasants. However, Britishers also suspended the tax of 1919. Along with this, the British government also had to return those lands they had previously seized. Kheda Satyagraha is one of the big achievements of peasants in the history of India.

Conclusion 

The achievement of Kheda Satyagraha is written among the greatest achievements of Indian history. The thing about this movement is that the reformers do not practice even a single violent activity during the entire movement. Although, they are put forward in a very decent and humble way. The hard struggle of Kheda Satyagraha has embarked a new light among the peasants of India, which resulted in the growth of Nationality among citizens. The success of Kheda Satyagraha has astonished the entire country and given hope of an independent India. The Indian citizens get motivated for their achievement of independence.